ROME 
Luciano Spalletti resigned as AS Roma's coach Tuesday after the team opened its Serie A season with two losses.

Former Chelsea and Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri is expected to replace Spalletti.

Roma lost 3-2 to Genoa in its first game of the new season and was beaten 3-1 by Juventus on Sunday.

"I offered my resignation and the club accepted, so my professional relationship with Roma is finished," Spalletti said upon leaving a meeting with Roma president Rosella Sensi, Italian media reported.

Ranieri met with Sensi immediately before Spalletti and was expected to be named Roma's new coach later Tuesday.

Ranieri was fired as Juventus' coach with two games remaining last season. The Rome-born Ranieri began his playing career with Roma, but only played six games for the club.

Spalletti was earning $5.1 million per season and had a contract with Roma through June, 2011. It wasn't immediately clear what type of financial arrangement he made with Roma to facilitate his departure. Roma has struggled financially in recent seasons.

Spalletti was in his fifth season with Roma, having won two Italian Cups and one Italian Super Cup. Roma was runner-up in Serie A in Spalletti's first three seasons, but the Giallorossi finished sixth last season and out of the Champions League.

Spalletti was known to be unhappy with Roma's minimal efforts to strengthen the team in the transfer market, and the club is still largely dependent on captain Francesco Totti, who turns 33 later this month.

Roma made only a modest showing in the latest transfer window by signing two players on loan – Romania goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont from Dinamo Bucharest and 19-year-old forward Fabio Zamblare from Newcastle.